Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.v.

Hiroshi Mukai

Masato Ikegawa

Keiichi Takemori

Yukinobu Abe

Ferdinand Hendriks

Andre Sirilutporn Chan

Yoshiyuki Hirono

Hiroyuki Ishii

Masashi Fukaya

A sickle-shaped disk drive spoiler for reducing turbulence of airflow in a hard disk drive is provided. The sickle-shaped spoiler is configured to direct airflow generated by a rotating disk and includes a tapered first end portion configured to direct the airflow toward the inner diameter of the disk and to reduce the airflow on the side of the disk opposing the spoiler.

Apparatus and method for reducing turbulence of airflow in a hard disk drive

Embodiments of the present invention prevent a magnetic disk drive from increasing in size and in manufacturing cost and reduces a positioning error of a magnetic head. An embodiment of a magnetic disk drive in accordance with the present invention includes: a disk-shaped magnetic disk that is rotated and driven; a magnetic head that reads and writes information to and from the magnetic disk, an arm that supports and moves the magnetic head; a spoiler that is close to a disk surface and extends in a radial direction of the disk; and a cabinet that houses these parts. The spoiler is disposed closer to an upstream side in a rotational direction of the disk than the arm and has a flow rate suppressing clearance positioned in a central portion in a peripheral direction of the spoiler, opened to both sides in an axial direction, and formed in a shape elongated in a radial direction of the disk.

Magnetic disk drive with spoiler

A sickle-shaped disk drive spoiler for reducing turbulence of airflow in a hard disk drive is provided. The sickle-shaped spoiler includes a body portion for directing airflow generated by a rotating disk, the rotating disk comprising an inner diameter and an outer diameter and wherein the body portion of the spoiler directs airflow away from the outer diameter of the disk and wherein the body portion is curved to substantially mirror the outer diameter of the disk. The sickle-shaped spoiler also includes a first end portion for gradually directing airflow away from the body portion and towards the inner diameter and a second end portion for gradually directing airflow towards the body portion and towards the inner diameter.

Embodiments of the invention reduce disk fluttering while ensuring good assemblability in a magnetic disk apparatus. A magnetic disk apparatus comprises a recording disk that is an information medium configured by one or plural disks; a motor causing the recording disk to rotate; a carriage supporting a head that records information to, or plays back information from, the recording disk; a casing housing the recording disk; and a shroud disposed surrounding an outer periphery of the recording disk. A groove that extends along the recording disk is formed, vertically asymmetrical with respect to an outer peripheral surface of the recording disk, in the shroud surface at a position where a corner portion formed by the outer peripheral surface and a top surface or bottom surface of the recording disk extends in a radial direction.

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Ibaraki, Japan

Hiroshi Mukai